Iran have appointed former Spain boss Javier Clemente as their new coach ahead of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers starting in February.
“A contract for three years was signed with Clemente this morning in Spain,” state television quoted Mehdi Taj, deputy head of Iran’s Football Federation (FFI), as saying.
Iran have been without a coach since the departure of Amir Ghalenoei after they were knocked out of the Asian Cup quarter-finals by South Korea in July last year.
Clemente was sacked by Serbia in December after failing to qualify for this summer’s steer European Championship finals.
Clemente managed Spain from 1992 to 1998 and has coached several clubs incuding Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao.
“Clemente will come to Iran next week but he will start his job with Iran’s first World Cup qualification game against Syria on February 6 in Tehran’s Azadi stadium,” Taj said.
Iran are in World Cup qualifying Group Five with Kuwait, Syria and United Arab Emirates.
